Some Pork Belly With Your Downward Dog?

It used to be that savasana, the last few minutes of yoga where you lie on your back with your eyes closed, was the perfect ending to a class. David Romanelli may have come up with an even sweeter finish.

The yoga instructor is touring the country with his Yoga For Foodies series, in which he partners with a local restaurant for an experience that melds yoga and upscale dining. After an hourlong class set to the Grateful Dead, kd Lang, and Jay-Z, guests turn their yoga mats into placemats and settle in for a three-course dinner with wine pairings. On Friday, May 7, Romanelli will roll out his mat at Zola in DC’s Penn Quarter.

“A lot of people thinks it sounds like a gimmick,” says Romanelli. “I think yoga teachers and chefs have a lot in common. They’re both trying to inspire a state of sensory ecstasy. The chef does it with the palate. The yogi does it with the body.”

From the student/diner’s perspective, Romanelli hopes the experience encourages people to slow down, appreciate food in a new way, and learn more about the local-food movement.

“It’s not about getting all sweaty,” says Romanelli. “The class is engaging to the point where you’re relaxed, your mind is quiet, and senses awakened.”

The Yoga for Foodies class and dinner, $70 per person (bring your own yoga mat), runs from 6:30 to 8:30 on Friday, May 7. Call 202-654-0999 or click here for more.